Someday Comes Sooner Than You Think
by AtLoLevad
Summary: Sort of sequel to 'Maybe Someday.' Rose and Dimitri are trying to guard Lissa and Christian while still getting their happy ending. Rated T for minor language.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a continuation of Maybe Someday. So you'll probably want to read that before you read this one. It's not super necessary, but it'll probably help. **

**Again, I'm only 65 pages into Blood Promise (book 4) so everything I write is basically an AU. Also, please no spoilers in reviews, for example, don't tell me what happens to any of these guys after page 65 of Blood Promise =)**

**I;m obsessed with Lissa's comment where she said that she thought it would be a happy family of her Christian, Rose and Dimitri, so this may or may not become that. **

**Oh, and as always, all mistakes are mine. **

**Read on and enjoy =)**

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"Auntie Rose is here!" I shouted, bursting into Lissa and Christian's front hall.

I could hear Dimitri snort behind me as he took position by the door. I flipped him off as Lissa came running down the hall, her six-month-old daughter held tightly in her arms.

"Rose! We missed you!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a one armed hug.

"We were only gone for three days!" I laughed, but it felt nice to be missed.

"Well, three days is a long time without your best friend," Lissa said, bouncing Alexandra on her hip.

I made goofy faces at my niece, "Ooh this chubby cheeked monster! Give her to me!"

Lissa laughed, passing her over, "She really missed her Aunt Rose."

I hugged her tight, "I missed her too."

There was a painful tug at my heart when I remembered the conversation Dimitri and I had had two months ago. I brushed the thought away and focused on the blonde baby in my arms.

"She's going to be beautiful, Lis," I said, maybe just a little sad.

Lissa reached out and touched my arm, "Are you okay, Rose? Do you want to talk about it?"

I looked back at Dimitri, but he was pretending to ignore me. I sighed heavily, "Um, maybe later, Lis. Not up for it right now."

Lissa smiled brightly, but I could feel her confusion and worry for me, "Okay! Let's go inside anyway. Christian is cooking and you're on near guard."

I put on a fake smile, and followed Lissa into her kitchen.

Christian was, in fact, stirring something on the stove.

"Well, hello, Betty Crocker," I grinned.

Christian turned on me and narrowed his eyes, "You are so not getting any breakfast."

"Don't worry about feeding me, Sandra Lee," I giggled to myself.

Lissa chewed her lip, but I could feel the laughter bubbling inside her.

I took a seat at the island, resting Alexandra on my lap. She tugged at my shirt, drooling and cooing happily.

"How was Starkov's trial?" Lissa asked, blowing on a mug of hot chocolate.

I crinkled my nose, "Awful. Starkov's a dick and his lawyer was so slimy, I'm surprised he didn't have people drilling for oil in his head."

"Hey!" Christian shouted, "Hathaway, watch your mouth around my daughter!"

Lissa and I shared a look. I could feel the motherly love coming off of her in waves, followed by a strong desire for Christian. Ack!

"You got it, Ozera. Besides, it's Belikova now. Has been for almost a year. You forget?" I said, laughing and playing with Alexandra's hands.

Christian scoffed, "How could I forget? You were the biggest bridezilla ever."

Lissa laughed, "He's right, Rosie. You were terrible."

I frowned, "Do you hear this, Alex? Your mommy and daddy are beating up on Auntie Rose!"

I peppered kisses to her chubby cheeks, enjoying the baby giggles coming from her.

"So do you want to talk now?" Lissa asked, leaning towards me on the counter.

Christian's ears perked up, "Talk about what?"

I scowled at Lissa and she apologized through the bond.

"It's nothing," I said, playing with the hem of Alex's pink dress before looking out the windows, "Just a thing with Dimitri."

"Oh! Did you two fight?" Lissa asked, her concern obvious even without the bond.

"No, not a fight. Not really, anyway. Just a difference of opinion," I said, taking a sip of the chai tea Christian had made for me.

Lissa raised her eyebrows and I could feel her curiosity. She didn't say anything though; she wanted to respect my space.

Christian, however, didn't care about my space.

"What opinion? Did he want you to stop being so moody?" he asked, smirk forming on his face.

"Ha ha ha. You're hysterical," I dead panned, "No, it was...um...he doesn't want to adopt a baby like I do."

Lissa gasped, "Oh, Rose! I didn't even know you wanted to be a mom! And maybe Dimitri will come around."

I could hear Dimitri clearing his throat from the hallway, "I can hear all of you. You did know that, right?"

Lissa, Christian and I shared a look before laughing.

"I'm sorry, comrade. I forget that you like to eavesdrop," I laughed.

Dimitri stuck his head into the kitchen, "What my wife forgot to mention is the fact that we came to an agreement of possibly adopting a baby someday."

I gave a sheepish smile, "That may possibly be true."

Dimitri shot me a wink and returned to his post in the hallway.

I could feel the happiness coming off of Lissa, so I turned to her and asked, "What?"

"You're just so happy, Rose! After the whole, um, thing with Dimitri, I didn't think you'd ever be happy again!"

Lissa was referring to the period of time where Dimitri had been a Strigoi-a bad vampire. I tried not to think about it too much, he had been saved, but I didn't like thinking about him as anything other than a guardian and my Dimitri.

"Yeah, I guess I am. It feels really nice, Lis," I admitted.

"Good!" Lissa exclaimed, taking a bottle from Christian and giving it to me so I could feed Alex.

Suddenly, I felt a wave of nausea rise up.

Oh shit! No, not now.

I jumped up, and passed Alex to Lissa.

"Dimitri! Buria!" I shouted.

"I got it!" He shouted back, "Protect them."

Lissa looked around worriedly, "Rose? What's happening?"

"Strigoi," I growled, "I don't know how many. Christian?"

"I'm staying to fight," he answered my unasked question.

"Good," I nodded, "Lis, you have to take Alex and hide. Understand?"

She nodded. I could feel the fear coming off of her, but even more than that I could feel her determination to protect Alex.

She hurried upstairs and Christian and I joined Dimitri in the front.

There was already one Strigoi down, and Dimitri was fighting off two.

A worried pang hit me, the same one that happened every time Dimitri fought Strigoi.

But I shook it off and whipped out my silver stake.

Christian and I worked in tandem to kill four more Strigoi while Dimitri finished off his two.

"Rose?" Dimitri shouted from across the lawn, concern lacing his voice.

"I'm okay! You? Christian?" I called back.

They both shouted affirmative answers.

"What are we going to do with all of these bodies?" Christian asked, extinguishing the fire coming from his hands.

"I don't know," I answered, my breathing ragged.

Dimitri put a hand on my back, "Incinerate them. And look at that, you two will get more molnija marks."

Christian hid his pleased smile. He would never admit it, but he loved the marks that had previously only been given to dhampir guardians. Lissa once told me that they made him feel like a badass.

"Someone had better check on Lis and the baby," I said, watching Christian take off as the same thought came to him.

Dimitri and I watched him go. Another wave of nausea hit me.

"Dimitri! There's at least one more coming," I said, straightening up, my stake in hand.

His eyes widened almost imperceptibly and he spun around, looking for the Strigoi.

I screamed as I was lifted from behind and thrown across the yard.

I smacked into the side of the garage, my head making a thudding noise.

Dimitri sticking his silver stake into the Strigoi's chest was the last thing I saw before my vision went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay folks, I finished the entirety of VA today and I loved it. Unfortunately, literally everything I've written is AU. But that's okay. Who doesn't love a good AU? I'd love reviews, even if it's just one word. I really want to know what you guys think. And feel free to bombard me on Tumblr (herguywednesday) with asks, I'll talk about the books and Romitri with everyone, all day, every day =) **

* * *

"Roza? Roza, can you hear me?" Dimitri's voice was cutting through the darkness.

"Mmm," I mumbled, trying to blink my eyes open.

A rough, heavy hand captured mine and I could feel a thumb rubbing circles on the back of my hand.

"Comrade..." I mumbled, opening my eyes and then quickly closing them against the light.

"Rose, can you open your eyes for me?" A different voice asked; one I didn't recognize.

I opened my eyes and resisted the urge to wince.

"What the hell happened?" I grumbled, looking around and locking eyes with Dimitri.

His forehead was furrowed in worry, but as soon as he saw me, he relaxed.

"Strigoi attack," he said simply.

I shook my head, "Yeah, no, I remember that. But we got them all, didn't we?"

"One more came and threw you after we finished off the rest. You hit your head pretty hard," he brushed hair off of my face, "You slept for a long time."

"How long?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"A day," Dimitri winced as I exploded.

"A DAY! I was knocked out for an entire day!?"

"Rose, there was nothing we could do, we had to wait it out," Dimitri's voice was calm, and I felt a little better.

I sighed, "I know…I just hate losing control."

"I know," Dimitri said, his hand squeezing mine.

Another man cleared his throat. I looked up and saw a doctor.

"Guardian Belikov, I'd like to just double check Guardian Hathaway for a concussion and other damage," he said, moving closer to the bed.

"Of course," Dimitri stood up, "I'll be in the hallway."

I wanted desperately for Dimitri to stay with me, but I caught his eye and he nodded. He knew I would be okay. I put on my guardian face and nodded.

The doctor whipped out a penlight and began shining it in my eyes.

"Geez, warn a girl first, would you?" I muttered, scowling against the brightness.

"Sorry, Guardian Hathaway. It seems you have a mild concussion, a very lucky result after being thrown across a yard by a Strigoi," he wrote something on a notepad, and then slipped the bad into his pocket.

"Yeah, I could've told you it was a concussion. I've had my fair share," I grumbled as he began taking hits at my knees with a rubber hammer.

"I'm aware, your file is thicker than most," he said, writing more down on his little notepad.

"I've seen more than most," I grumbled again, a headache starting to pulse behind my eyes. I just wanted to get out of here and head home; maybe cuddle with Dimitri and eat a hamburger.

That shut him up. Good. I was so not in the mood for conversation. Luckily, my exam finished up a few minutes later, and Dimitri was allowed back in the room.

He came to my side and held my hand, a question in his eyes.

"Mild concussion. Bumps, bruises, a couple of shallow cuts from hitting the wall, but I'll be good as new in a couple of days," I said, glancing at the doctor, "I cover all of it, doc?"

The Moroi doctor sighed exasperatedly, something I was very used to, and nodded, "Yes, Guardian Hathaway, you covered everything. I will give your paperwork to the nurse and she'll discharge you."

He left the room, muttering that he didn't get paid enough to deal with guardians like me. I was flattered.

Dimitri laughed, "You really can't go for long without driving someone crazy, can you?"

I shrugged, "Part of the old Hathaway charm. Now help me up, comrade. I wanna get home!"

"Somehow I think the 'old Hathaway charm' comes from the special Mazur brand of crazy," Dimitri said, letting me pull myself up using his hand as leverage.

I sighed, "You might be right. That old pirate mobster of a vampire I have for a father contributed a little _too_ much to the Rose Hathaway personality genes."

Dimitri covered a laugh with a cough and handed over a small bag, "Lissa sent this."

"Oh," I gasped, "I can't believe I forgot about Lissa! How is she?"

Dimitri untied the hospital gown I was wearing, "She's fine. Upset we wouldn't let her heal you, but fine."

"Good," I pulled a pair of jeans on, "I hate when she uses her magic for me."

There was a twinkle in Dimitri's eyes, "We know."

He handed over a sweater, and helped me pull it on. Apparently getting thrown into a garage will bruise your back, who knew?

"Ugh, I can't wait for some food. Do you think Christian would cook up some hamburgers or possibly lasagna, or maybe pierogis, ooh and maybe—" Dimitri clamped his hand over my mouth, effectively shutting me up.

"_Roza,_ I think your eyes are bigger than your stomach. But yes, Christian might make you something," he paused, considering, "_If_ you ask nicely."

"Damn, and there's my weakness. I'm very rarely capable of asking nicely," I shook my head, pulling my coat on and pulling my hair from the collar.

"I don't know," Dimitri said, handing me the ponytail holder that had been keeping his brown hair out of his eyes, "You seem capable of asking me to do things nicely."

"You don't count," I smiled, pulling my hair up into a ponytail, "If I'm not somewhat nice to you, things I like get taken away."

Dimitri's smirk sent my heart racing, "Oh really? What things?"

I bumped his side with my hip, "Oh you know. That really amazing black bread Olena taught you to make, your annoying Zen-master sayings, private training lessons."

I wiggled my eyebrows as I said the last thing, and Dimitri burst out laughing.

"You're too much, _Roza._ Now come on," he grabbed my elbow," Let's get you checked out."

I followed Dimitri to the nurse's station, leaning against the counter as he talked to the nurse in charge.

I watched as a few people came and went; several dhampir guardians with varying states of injury, a small Moroi girl who looked like she had gotten some sort of Barbie accessory stuck up her nose, and a Moroi nurse wheeling a small plastic bassinet down the hallway.

My eyebrows shot up as she came to a stop next to the counter I was leaning against.

She gave an angry sigh, but I wasn't paying attention to her. My gaze was locked on the beautiful baby sleeping in the plastic basinet.

"Marta! We have a problem," she announced, taking the attention of the nurse who Dimitri had been speaking with.

Marta looked up sharply, "Diana! I am busy. Can't it wait?"

I watched, fascinated, as Diana began gesticulating wildly with her arms.

"No, it can't wait! Do you remember the young dhampir that was in on Monday? No? Well, she's gone. Up and left. No note, not explanation, nothing. She leaves and doesn't take her baby," Diana was growing increasingly upset.

A dhampir mother had left her baby behind? I looked back at the infant; she (he? I couldn't tell) was asleep, but her (his?) little mouth was opening and closing.

Something shifted in my stomach. This was it. This was my baby. I needed this baby, and it needed me.

I looked up at Dimitri, locking eyes with him.

"I know that look, Rose. I very rarely like the consequences that come with that look," he warned.

I brushed him off, "Dimitri, please. I know you're thinking the same thing I am."

That was 100% false. I had absolutely zero clue as to what my husband was thinking.

"Rose," he drew my name out.

I grabbed his hand, "Look at…her?" I took a guess on the baby's gender.

Dimitri sighed, but looked down at the tiny infant. The second his eyes locked on her face, I knew I was in. I saw the shift in his expression; felt the tension leave his arm.

I grinned as a small smile graced the corner of his mouth, "You know I'm right."

And then, just as quickly as Dimitri's expression changed, it changed right back, "Rose, we talked about this. We're not ready."

"We talked two months ago! What if we've changed?" I was edging dangerously close to sounding like a petulant child who hadn't gotten a toy.

"You think we've changed that much in two months?" Dimitri raised one skeptical eyebrow. Damn, I still wished I could do that.

I shrugged, "It's possible…Stranger things have happened."

Dimitri squeezed my hand, "And how would the logistics of this happen? Who would stay home with a baby? Rose, we're not ready to give up our lifestyles."

But, even as he spoke, I could see the longing for a baby in his eyes.

I turned to Diana, who was still talking animatedly, and tapped her shoulder. She jumped, startled, and faced me.

"What's going to happen to…it?" I asked, pointing at the baby.

Diana looked at me, at Dimitri and then back to the baby, "Well, since her mother abandoned her, we have to send her to Court. They'll take care of her."

Her! A girl, and she'd be going to Court. Court, where my best friend was Queen and where I spent a very large portion of my time.

I could always work on Dimitri and then we could adopt her…maybe?

"Will someone want to adopt her?" I asked, wanting really badly to reach out and hold the baby.

Diana shrugged, "Depends. Sometimes they'll get adopted, other times they'll just get raised in Court until they're old enough to go to St. Vladimir's."

"Oh," I said, "Thank you."

Diana and Dimitri were both looking at me strangely, for different reasons of course.

"No problem," Diana said, a little hesitantly," Have a nice day."

I smiled and nodded at her, taking Dimitri's hand and walking to the elevators.

Dimitri was silent the entire ride to the ground floor. In a way I was almost grateful for that. I wasn't exactly sure what he'd say, and I wasn't sure what I'd say back.

As soon as we got to the car though, he pounced.

"What was that?" he asked, not angry, just curious.

I was about to play dumb, but I figured that might not have been in my best interest if I were to convince Dimitri we could adopt a baby.

"That was me taking interest in an abandoned baby's future?" I said, slipping into the passenger seat.

"Oh no, that's not all it was, Rose. You have a plan forming," Dimitri shook his head, "I don't know if I want to know what it is."

I smiled, "Comrade, I completely agree."

"What? I don't want to know?" Dimitri was confused.

"No, well yes, no. I mean, my plans somehow always work out. But, I meant that I think you're right about the kids thing. We're not ready," Phase One: Convince Dimitri I think he's right.

Dimitri laughed, "Rose, you forget how well I know you. I saw you look at that baby. There is no way you think I'm right."

Damn. He had a very good point. I forgot about the whole connected souls thing for a second.

"Okay, so maybe I don't agree. But I will stop talking about it," I confessed.

Dimitri regarded me carefully, and then squeezed my thigh, "You know, one day we will be in a place to give up guarding Lissa and Christian."

I knew that. I also knew that Dimitri was ready right now. What I didn't know was why he was holding back. But, I wasn't going to push. Not yet, anyway.

"Until then, it'll be you and me. Against the world," I said.

Dimitri smiled, "I think you're forgetting a few people."

Maybe I was, but one thing I couldn't forget was that tiny infant. I just knew that she was meant for us.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This one is going to be the last chapter for this story. I feel like it's ended in a good spot. I hope you guys enjoyed this, and please review. **

* * *

I watched Lissa pick up Alexandra and cuddle her close, but I wasn't really registering the action. My mind was down the hall and up two flights of stairs, with the tiny baby that had been abandoned at the hospital three weeks earlier.

I had been sneaking away to see her as much as possible. I was becoming – ah who was I kidding? – I was already head over heels in love with that little girl.

Thanks to my position as Queen Vasilisa's Guardian, the caretakers of the babies in the nursery didn't ask me why I was staring at one infant for hours on end. I'm sure they al wanted to know exactly what I was doing, but to their credit, none of them ever asked, even when I was there for long periods of time. And man, I never got tired of looking at her little scrunched up face.

But, as much as I dreamed of bringing her home and making her mine and Dimitri's daughter, I still hadn't come up with a good way to broach the subject with my husband. Or with Lissa.

In fact, I hadn't mentioned my desire to adopt this specific baby with anyone. Maybe I'd tell Lissa first. Maybe I'd let her use a little bit of compulsion on Dimitri.

No.

That would be bad, right?

"Rose? Lissa's voice broke through my thoughts.

I shook m head and straightened, "What's up?"

Lissa's green eyes had a weird gleam in them; I got slightly nervous. The look in her eyes was almost similar to the look Dimitri claimed I got when I was planning something.

"I'm okay with Alex by myself. Go up to the nursery," Lissa said and adjusted her daughter in her arms.

"My eyes widened, "What?"

Lissa laughed, causing the baby to let out a happy squeal. I smiled despite my confusion and mild shock; my de facto niece was adorable.

"As Queen, it's kind of my business to know who is going where when they're in Court. My dhampir Guardian best friend is no exception."

I ruffled a hand through the end of my ponytail. Wow, I really had underestimated my ability to sneak around without anyone finding out.

Meanwhile, now that Lissa knew about my trip to the nursery, I might as well tell her my whole plan.

"Okay, I'll tell you," I sighed.

"I never actually asked for you to tell me anything," Lissa pointed out, sticking a bottle into Alexandra's wailing mouth.

I ignored her, "When I got knocked out three weeks ago and was in the hospital, this woman had abandoned her baby. And oh my God Liss, she's beautiful. I fell in love with her and I want to adopt her. Some nurse said they keep the abandoned babies in a nursery in Court, so I've been going to visit her."

The grin that appeared on Lissa's face was so wide, the tops o her cheeks almost touched her eyes.

"that's great, Rose! I know how badly you've wanted a baby. And Alex could use a friend, at least until Christian and I decide to give her a sibling. What has Dimitri said" she leaned forward to wrap an arm around me in a hug.

I laughed tightly, "He doesn't know. I haven't told him."

Lissa frowned, "Dimitri Belikov doesn't have a single clue as to what you're planning? Why do I find that hard to believe."

"He might have _some_ kind of idea. But I don't think he knows that I'm planning on convincing him to adopt this specific baby," I rubbed at my eyes with one hand.

Lissa bounced Alex in her arms and looked down at her. I could tell that she was thinking. Her emotions were slightly jumbled, but the prevailing one was hope that I'd convince Dimitri.

I leaned against the wall, watching Lissa interact with her daughter. I hadn't realized how badly I wanted a baby, but watching my best friend be a mother? There was an ache in my chest that I knew would only be filled when I convinced Dimitri.

Lissa looked up at me, "Go. Seriously. Go see that baby."

"Are you sure?" I asked, already angling my body towards the door.

Lissa laughed, "Yes! Of course I'm sure. I want you to be as happy as I am!"

"Thanks, Liss. I'll be back in twenty minutes."

I shut the door carefully behind me, knowing Lissa was going to put the baby down for a nap.

While I walked down the hall, I couldn't resist a look into Lissa's mind. I wanted to see exactly what she thought about my plan when I wasn't in the room.

Next thing I knew, I was looking down at Alex. Lissa was saying, "Your Aunt Rose will be such a great mom, if Uncle Dimitri ever comes around. And he will. I know he wants a baby as badly as Aunt Rose does."

I would have teared up if I were in my own body. I don't know what was wrong with me and my emotions lately. Maybe that knock to the head had shifted something in my brain.

"And when Aunt Rose and Uncle Dimitri finally get that baby, you're going to have a best friend, just like Aunt Rose and I are best friends. We're there for each other no matter what."

I – Lissa – leaned down to press a kiss to Alex's forehead.

I pulled myself out of Lissa's head. I didn't want to intrude on any more of the mother-daughter time.

Coming around to my surroundings, I realized I was outside the door to the nursery. I put my hand on the doorknob, but hesitated.

I really needed to tell Dimitri about my plan. It wasn't fair that I was keeping something this big from him. And, if I was being honest with myself, keeping this form him was probably just proving his point that we weren't ready to be parents.

I took a deep breath, after I got off my shift of guarding Lissa I would tell him.

A minute later, I was inside the nursery.

It was set up like a miniature dormitory. There was one room full of the bassinets for the babies; with fifteen of them lines up against each wall. At the end of the room, there were doors that led to more rooms for the older kids and the storage areas for formula and diapers. There was also a room for the babies that were smaller or sick and needed extra care or had to be kept apart from the healthy babies.

The room was painted in pastel colors; not my thing, but insanely soothing.

My baby was in the last crib on the left side of the room, right next to a window. I could have found her with my eyes shut and my hands tied behind my back.

I only took a few steps into the room before stopping. A dark shape caught my eye.

The one dark spot in the whole pastel colored room belonged to my Russian's cowboy duster.

What was Dimitri doing here? And more importantly, what was he doing sitting by the crib of the baby I had fallen in love with?

Dimitri didn't seem to have noticed my entrance, although I knew him well enough to not take his lack of reaction as definite proof he was ignorant of my appearance.

I didn't want to interrupt him just yet, so I crept quietly towards him, pausing when I was three our four feet away from him.

Now that I was closer, I could hear him whispering in Russian. He looked so relaxed, like nothing could ever bother him again.

Maybe I had misjudged his desire for kids. He was edging very close to 30. It was entirely possible that he wanted kids more than he let on, maybe even more than he wanted to admit to himself.

"Rose," he sighed, "I know you're there."

"I was trying to give you a little space. Didn't think you wanted me right on top of you," I said lightly, walking forward in a few strides and resting my forearms on his shoulders.

"I always like it when you're on top of me," he gave me a little smirk along with the innuendo.

"Hey, we're in a room filled with babies! You can't say stuff like that," I laughed, teasing the edge of his collarbone with my fingers.

"How do you think all of these babies got here, _Roza?_" he laughed, and I loved the feeling rumbling against my chest.

"Shut up, Comrade. What are you doing here?" I asked my question quickly, hoping I could trick him into answering truthfully.

No such luck.

Well, not at first anyway.

"Just checking on something," he answered vaguely.

I rested my chin on his head, "Yeah, okay, because I believe that. Wanna try again?"

Dimitri sighed under me, "I was looking for you a couple of days ago. Eddie had mentioned seeing you sneak in here. I watched you from the door."

"Stalker," I said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

"You looked so…" Dimitri paused. He was very rarely lost for words, so I waited, holding my breath, for what he was going to say.

"So…right. Like this was where you belonged," he finally said.

I didn't say anything. Like Dimitri, I was rarely speechless, but this one had thrown me for a loop.

Dimitri reach up and locked his fingers with mine, "I've been coming back here every couple of days. She's the baby from the hospital, right?"

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. I didn't trust myself to speak, mainly because I thought I had an idea of where this conversation was going.

"I've been talking to her," he admitted this slowly, like it was a silly thing.

"That' supposed to be good for them. They get used to other people," I said softly, looking over Dimitri's head at the little girl that had captured our hearts.

Because right then, I knew, without a doubt, that Dimitri loved her just as much as I did.

"I think…that we could figure something out," Dmitri twisted his head to look at me. I moved to the side of the chair so we could see each other better.

"Are you…?" I asked, breaking off my question.

Dimitri nodded, "I think since we can use the Queen as a reference, the adoption process might get expedited."

My face split into a grin, "We're really going to adopt her? We're going to take her home and she's going to be ours?"

I couldn't contain my excitement. Dimitri had barely opened his mouth when I leaned forward and planted a kiss on him.

I leaned over the crib, my hands itching to pick her up and hold her close. I had never held her before, thinking it would cause me to get too attached.

Dimitri stood up behind me and rested a hand on my hip, "She'll need a name."

"Anna," I said immediately, "Anna Olena Belikova."

Dimitri laughed, "You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?"

I shrugged, "Probably more thought than was healthy."

"Anna," Dimitri tried the name I loved out.

It sounded even better in his Russian accent.

Ah-nna.

God, could I be any more in love with this man?

He gently reached around me and lifted the baby into his arms. She opened her mouth like she was going to scream, but sighed and cuddled close to the leather duster instead.

Dimitri let out a happy sigh and shifted her slightly, tucking her into the crook of his arm.

"I think she fits," he said, not taking his eyes off of her.

"I think you're right," I agreed, reaching my hand out to gently touch Anna's cheek.

"I can't believe she's really going to be ours," I whispered, still shocked that Dimitri had been sneaking to see her too.

"Get used to it. Rose Hathaway Belikova, you're going to be a mom," Dimitri laughed.

"And you too, Comrade. Dimitri Belikov, dad. Look out any boy that comes her way," I joked, feeling lighter and happier than I had in days.

"If we raise her right, she'll be able to take care of herself," he smiled.

I'd never seen him smile this much. It was a nice change.

I looked up into Dimitri's eyes, "We're going to be parents."

He nodded, "Twenty-three year old Rose is very different from nineteen year old Rose who was terrified of getting married while she was a teenager."

"And twenty-nine and eleven months old Dimitri is really different from twenty-nine and eight months old Dimitri who didn't want a kid," I shot back.

Dimitri rolled his eyes, "Yes, _Roza_, we've both changed."

"And speaking of changed…" I trailed off, laughing as Dimitri realized the baby needed a new diaper.

"I've got to get back to Lissa! I promised her I'd only be gone twenty minutes. Let me know how the first diaper change goes, Dad," I kissed his cheek before running to the door.

I stopped with my hand on the doorknob and looked back.

Dimitri was smiling down at Anna, one hand reaching for a diaper that was kept in a cloth bag attached to each of the cribs.

I smiled to myself.

Maybe I did have it better than Juliet.

* * *

**A/N #2: Okay, so since this story is AU, it won't really be continued in any future VA fics I write. I will, however, be keeping Anna as one of their ****children. I will also probably keep her as being adopted. Unless I can come up with a magical reason for Rose to be able to have kids. **

**And if anyone is confused, Anna's name is pronounced like Anna in _Frozen, _with more of a focus on the first A.  
**

**Once again, please let me know what you thought of this in a review. I live for reviews, they make me want to write more for you guys. **


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